(Photo by Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has identified the detailed priority population in its Covid-19 vaccination program which now includes more sectors like teachers, social and government workers, overseas Filipino workers and more.
In a statement on Friday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the following priority groups have been approved by country’s Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNITAG):
A1: Frontline workers in health facilities both national and local, private and public, health professionals and non-professionals like students, nursing aides, janitors, barangay health workers, etc.
A2: Senior citizens aged 60 and above
A3: Persons with comorbidities not otherwise included in the preceding categories
A4: Frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel and those in working sectors identified by the IATF as essential during ECQ
A5: Indigent population not otherwise included in the preceding categories
This illustrative photograph taken in a studio shows a minature shopping cart with syringee and bottles reading “Covid-19 Vaccine”, in Paris, on January 8, 2021. (Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP)
B1: Teachers, Social Workers
B2: Other Government Workers
B3: Other essential workers
B4: Socio-demographic groups at significantly higher risk other than senior citizens and indigenous people
B5: Overseas Filipino Workers
B6: Other Remaining Workforce
C: Rest of the Filipino population not otherwise included in the above groups
The iNITAG noted that specific inclusion or exclusion criteria of each vaccine brand must be considered, Roque said.
In choosing areas for sub-prioritization, Roque said it will be based on the number of active cases, attack rate per 100,000 population in the past four weeks, and population density.
Roque also noted that the readiness of local government units’ vaccination sites and supply chain capability will also be considered.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. previously said LGUs unprepared for the vaccine rollout will not receive supplies to make sure not a single dose will be wasted.
Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (Alex Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
Roque also reiterated that the first tranche of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines arriving in the country will be allocated to the following:
a) COVID-19 dedicated hospitals
b) COVID-19 referral hospitals
c) DOH-owned hospitals
d) LGU hospitals
e) hospitals for uniformed services/personnel
f) private hospitals
Facade of the UP – Philippine General Hospital. (Image from the PGH website)
Frontliners from the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Lung Center of the Philippines and East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, and Dr. Jose Natalio Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center (Tala Hospital) in Caloocan City will be among the fiirst to be vaccinated, Galvez has said.